NASA is testing various Robots that will participate in NASA’s Lunar Mission. The testing is being carried in Arizona’s famous Meteor Crater. During the two-week campaign conducted by NASA’s Desert Research and Technology Studies Team the Robots demonstrated their ability to work along with some space-suited researchers.

The Robots are dubbing the actual tasks that they will have to perform on the moon.

Chris Culbert, who is an engineer in the NASA Johnson Space Center and in charge of the Human Robotic Systems program, said they are currently focusing on Robots that can assist the humans in mission moon.

He also commented that they are lacking funds to develop new robots and are testing some old robots.

NASA’s field of assistants consists of:

• Scout, an autonomous Moon Buggy
• Athlete, a six-legged rover
• Centaur, a humanoid torso on wheels
• K-10, a boxy little rover for site survey work

NASA commented that all the four Robots help NASA in the main three works that NASA has planned that is: Surface Mobility, Surface Handling and Human-System interaction.

Culbert commented that Robots like Centaur might be an excellent Lunar Plumber and free astronauts from this type of work so that they can concentrate on more tedious works on the moon.

Talking about the Athlete, it is the first robotic vehicle that demonstrated its ability to tackle a wide range of tasks and terrain challenges, including climbing hills and rappelling into ravines.

Culbert said that NASA has to do some work before they can say that machines like Athlete are an answer for its Lunar Mission. The main problem that scientists like Culbert are facing is the lack of funds and Culbert has stated that if they get additional funds then they will build a moon buggy equipped with an active suspension system tuned to handle tough terrain.

Via: msnbc